Tales from the Whispering Woods: Stories of Fear and Folklore from the Dark Forest

by Sarah Powell

Explore the wildwood and uncover the origins of famous--and not so famous--cryptids, ghosts, goblins, and other supernatural creatures and phenomena.

For the intrepidly curious comes an essential guide to the cultural origins behind some of your favorite urban legends, superstitions, and ghost stories. Dare to step into the wildwood and traverse the world's folklore from the comfort of your own home!

Sarah J H Powell, author and spooky thrillseeker behind the podcast The Whispering Woods, curates a collection of twenty-one creepy creatures, ghastly ghosts, and paranormal phenomena, including:

The Wild Hunt: A group of ghostly or supernatural beings in search of souls to chase and steal away, variations are found throughout European folklore. It is said witnessing a Wild Hunt is an omen of disaster.
El Silbón: A legendary figure in the countries of Colombia and Venezuela and known for his eerie whistle. Why is it that whistling at night is such a taboo?
The Baubas: An example in a long line of creepy bogeymen intended to scare children into correcting their bad behavior.
Werewolves: These creatures appear everywhere, from ancient Mesopotomia to Viking-era Scandinavia.
Each chapter provides possible explanations for why these creatures, stories, and superstitions came to be. Just looking for frights? This book has got you covered, with stories of possibly true encounters with the creature or phenomenon in question. For the truth seeker, the horror-story connoisseur, or anyone in between, Tales from the Whispering Woods is sure to have something for everyone.

Genres: Horror, Short Stories, Fiction, Fantasy, Folklore

192 pages, Hardcover

Published March 25, 2025

About the author

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Reviews

[Rebecca · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely ADORED these stories! Being able to learn a bit more, and some of the creatures that are similar to it was super helpful.
Out of the stories, I can't say that I enjoyed one more than the others. This was just one fantastic collection of folklore.

I highly recommend this one if you are interested in myths and folklore!

[Bob · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have loved reading about the various myths and folklore.
I have enjoyed reading the stories associated with them as well.

I would recommend this book to anyone who loves folklore.

[Steven Davis · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very useful/interesting resource book in terms of literary projects and always good to learn new myths/ legends, particularly when they're not oft-repeated ones.